Machine for making cigarettes



Oct. 25, 1938. H. J. BARKER MACHINE FOR MAKING CIGARETTES Filed Dec. 24, 1934 m KQA 147 TORA'EKS Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES V g 2,134,353 MACHINE FOR'MAKING CIGARETTES Henry .lames Barker, ;Upper Holloway; London,

England, assignor of one-half ,to Evans ncinnum Limited, London, England Application December 24, 1934, Serial No. 758,900

' In Great Britain January 3, 1934' 1 Claim. (01. 131-5) This invention relates to that type of cigarette-making machine having a frame comprising a base and two end walls integral therewith and carrying a fixed roller (i. 'e., a roller turnable in fixed bearings) and a roller displaceable relatively to said frame, the two rollers being embraced by an endless apron which, when the rollers are spaced apart, can be sagged to form a trough between the end walls wherein the tobacco is introduced preparatory to the making of the cigarette. The above expression a frame comprising a base and two end walls integral therewith is to be understood as including any frame or casing in which the end walls are held against relative movement, as, for example, by a one-piece or multi-part base or by bars or rods incapable of relative movement.

Cigarette-making machines are known in which the two rollers, around which an endless apron is passed, are made relatively movable by being rotatably mounted each in a half or part of a hinged or pivoted frame, each half or part comprising interconnected end walls, the lower edges of the halves or parts being pivoted together in the form of a book and thus capable of relative movement. Such machines, however, are not particularly easy to manipulate and the making of cigarettes by their aid is a relatively diflicult operation, and if not provided with end plates such machines have the further disadvantage that the tobacco is liable to escape from the open ends of the apron when being arranged thereon preparatory to the cigarette making operation. Moreover, when pressure is applied to one of the rollers to cause the same to rotate and the apron to be moved to roll the cigarette, the tendency is to move the two rollers apart and this is particularly the case if there is too much tobacco in the apron or if the cigarette is rolled too quickly.

The object of this invention is to provide an improved cigarette making machine which shall be more efi'icient and easier to manipulate than any of the known cigarette making machines.

The invention is equally applicable to machines for making plugs of tobacco for use in tobacco pipes and consequently suchmachines and cigarette making machines will be referred to hereinafter simply as cigarette making machines.

According to the present invention, a cigarette-making machine has the characteristic feature that at least one of the rollers is turnably carried, and is anchored to the frame of the machine, by means which, when turned in one direction, lifts the roller out of its operative posi 4 tion (in which it is adjacent to the other'roller) and" swings it into the inoperative position, whilst preventing the roller moving beyond afixed distance from a fixed position on the frame.

The movable roller may be anchored to the frame of the machine at each of its ends by means of a member turnably or pivotally connected to the end wall of the frame; For-example, each end of the roller spindle (oreach trunnion, if there is a separate trunnion at each end) may be turnably mounted in a link or lever which is pivotally connected'to the frame at one end.

The frame may be shaped so as to provide a support for the spindle of the movable roller, when in the non-working position, and when the roller is in its working position the spindle will also be supported by the frame. If so desired, when the roller is in its working position its spindle may be supported in notches or recesses cut in the frame and forming bearings for the spindle.

A constructional form of the present invention is shown, by way of example only, on the accompanying drawing, whereon Fig. l is a perspective view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the machine with the displaceable roller swung into its inoperative position;

Fig. 3 is a view corresponding to Fig. 2 but with the displaceable roller swung into its operative position;

Fig. 4 shows the method of introducing a cigarette-paper into the machine;-

Fig. 5 is a view corresponding to Figs. 3 and 4 after the cigarette has been rolled.

Referring to the drawing:

The machine comprises theusual pressed frame or casing having a base I formed integrally with two end walls 2 and 3. The ends of the spindle or trunnions 4 of the roller 5 are turnably arranged in fixed bearings formed by holes provided in the said end walls. Each of the ends of the spindle or trunnions 6 of the other roller 1, however, is turnably arranged in a hole formed in a short link or lever B, which is pivotally mounted at the exterior of the adjacent end wall 2 .or 3, as the case may be, upon a pivot pin 9 passing through the link near to the opposite end of the link. Thus, there are two such links anchoring the movable roller to the frame and the two links are integral with a bar H) which interconnects the links and which in the innermost, or operative, position of the movable roller is adjacent to the uppermost surface of the fixed roller, as shown in Fig. 1 and Figs. 3 to 5. The end walls of the frame are provided with recesses II in which the ends of the spindle or trunnions 5 of the movable roller are adapted to seat when the roller is in the innermost or operative position, thus limiting the inward swinging movement of the links 8 and the integral bar 9. In order to limit the outward movement of the links and bar, the ends of the spindle or trunnions are adapted to contact with the outer edges of the end walls 2 and 3 of the frame, asshown in Fig.2.

In making a cigarette, the machine'is held with the bar I furthest away from the user, who then swings the bar and the links 8, and therefore the roller 1, towards him. The tobacco is then fram e. having end walls, a stationary roller mounted in said frame, a displaceable roller spread in the bight of the apron between the end walls 2 and 3 as shown in Fig. 2. The roller I is then swung inwards again towards the fixed roller 5 until the ends of the spindle or trunnion's 6 are engaged in the recesses H and the under surface of the bar I0 rests upon that'partof the apron which passes over the roller 5. The roller 1 is then-given a turn or two in the direction indicated by the arrow shown in Fig. 3. The paper I3 is passed into the machine, between the rollers 5 and l with thegummed edgeuppermost and towards the user, the paper being guided by the front edge of the bar H) as shown in Fig. 4. The

roller 1 is again turned in the same direction until little more than the gummed edge protrudes above the bar Ill. The protruding portion of the paper is turned backward upon the bar [0 which acts as a support whilst the said edge is being moistened. Thereafter, the roller I is again turned in thesame direction until it is entirely rolled -around the tobacco. as shown in Fig. 5. The roller 7 is again swung into itsoutermost position, see Fig. 2, when the completed cigarette can be lifted from the apron.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention and the manner in which it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim'is:

A cigarette-making machine, comprising a which is situated adjacent the first-mentioned roller in its operative position, a pair of trunnions carrying the second-mentioned roller, and means connected with said trunnions and said frame for supporting the second-mentioned roll-. er on said end walls, said means being swingable about an axis which is in a plane passing through the axes of the two rollers when the second-mentioned roller is in its operative position.

HENRY JAMES BARKER. 

